Hourglass: United Way of King County

Good news happens. This episode is the first installment of a three-part series on 2026 state, county, and city policy.  As the 2026 Washington State Legislative Session begins on January 12, we sat down with Amanda Sandoval, United Way director of systems change and policy, for a discussion about the governor’s budget, expectations around this year’s legislative session, and ways that you can mak...

Happy New Year! For this 100th episode, we look back at 2025 and look at what’s in store for 2026. We’ll chat with United Way interim CEO Dr. Catherine Cushinberry about how we at United Way addressed the challenges of 2025 and some of the things our organization seeks to accomplish this New Year, including the naming of a new president and CEO and a renewed commitment to one of our most popular p...

Good news happens. This week's episode features a conversation with Claudia Kauffman, our Washington State Senator and co-founder of the Native Action Network, a United Way-supported, Seattle-based nonprofit that promotes the full representation and leadership of Indigenous women in local, state, tribal, and national affairs. We’ll chat with Senator Kauffman about some of her recent efforts t...

Good news happens. This week's episode features a conversation about United Way's Community Partnership Kit Offerings, packages loaded with essential items for King County residents based on needs identified by neighborhood-based organizations. Assembling and distributing those kits is part of a volunteer project known as kit builds. We’ve hosted kit builds for companies and organization...

Good news happens. This week's episode features a conversation about how the SeaTac-based Congolese Integration Network utilizes the early learning program ParentChild+ to help immigrant children and their parents adapt to and thrive in their new country. We’ll hear from Eveline Bakulu, the early learning coordinator at Congolese Integration Network, and Whitney Nakamura, Community Impact Man...

Good news happens. This episode is a conversation about Leadership Tomorrow and Project LEAD. Leadership Tomorrow is a nonprofit organization co-founded by United Way that cultivates a network of leaders to address our region’s challenges. It is also the new home of Project LEAD, a nonprofit board training program for people of color, which was founded and previously housed by United Way.  Project...

Good news happens. On the eve of United Way of King County's Year-End Fundraising Campaign launch, this week's episode features a conversation with Angel Swanson of Feeding Feasible Feasts, an Auburn-based food relief organization that addresses hunger in five Western Washington counties. United Way proudly supports Feeding Feasible Feasts, which provides essential resources to local fam...

Good news happens. This week's episode features a conversation about our Year-End Giving Campaign, "Hope Doesn’t Quit, Neither Do We." When you invest in United Way’s work through our annual year-end giving campaign, you help us strengthen our community and ensure that everyone has the support they need. For this episode, we’ll chat with United Way Chief Philanthropy Officer Anna Cr...

Good news happens. This week's episode features a conversation with Andrea Alexander, a Makah Tribal Elder, activist, and community development expert who leads the Northwest Native Asset Building Coalition, an Edmonds-based, United Way-supported nonprofit that empowers Indigenous communities through education and facilitation.  On the eve of Seattle hosting the National Congress of American...

Good news happens. This episode features a conversation about contacting elected officials. Folks say write to your councilmembers, representatives, and your senators when you want issues addressed that you care about. Amid the current federal government shutdown and recent elections that have sent new leaders to the state and local offices, now seems like a good time to contact lawmakers.  But ho...

Good news happens. This week’s episode is a conversation with Gabriel Galanda of Huy, a Seattle-based Indigenous organization that provides economic, rehabilitative, educational, and religious support for Indigenous inmates in Washington state and beyond. United Way of King County proudly supports Huy, which ensures that Indigenous people behind bars maintain the rights afforded to all people in o...

This episode features a conversation about the possible loss of SNAP benefits to millions nationwide. United Way of King County has championed the impact of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which provides families nationwide with the means to keep food on the table. However, due to the current federal government shutdown, funding to SNAP hasn’t been replenished, and the prog...

Good news happens. This week's episode features a conversation about United Way’s free Home Grocery Delivery Program. As United Way is set to launch our End of Year Giving Campaign that focuses on Hunger, Hourglass sat down with Cheyenne Stolmeier, United Way food security program manager, and Hannah Gauntz, United Way food security senior program coordinator, to discuss our program that prov...

This episode features a conversation with historian and bestselling author Timothy Snyder.  United Way is partnering with Seattle Arts and Lectures to co-sponsor an evening with Snyder at Benaroya Hall on Oct. 26 as part of our Conversations for Change series. Hourglass sat down with Snyder to discuss his book On Tyranny: 20 Lessons for the 20th Century, which spent more than 140 weeks on the New...

Good news happens. This episode features a conversation about Emerging Leaders 365, a United Way of King County-sponsored group of more than 10,000 young adults passionate about engaging in a year of impact to support their neighbors.  Emerging Leaders support local charities and small businesses, volunteer at nonprofit organizations, and engage in United Way’s Happy Hours & Hellos Series, whi...

Good news happens. This week’s episode features a conversation with two members of local Indigenous organization that will host a Seattle Public School Board Candidate Forum on October 4 at North Seattle College.  We chatted with Lisa Rivera, Board Director of Urban Native Education Alliance and a former Seattle School Board director, and Kamryn Yanchick, Political Navigator at Native Action Netwo...

Good news happens. This week's episode features a conversation with Tiffany Kelly-Gray of Byrd Barr Place, a Seattle-based nonprofit that offers essential services—including food, shelter, and financial tools—for Seattle area residents.  As rising food prices and cuts to federal nutrition programs are impacting people’s ability to put healthy meals on the table, Byrd Barr Place provides innov...

Good news happens. This week’s episode discusses United Way’s Indigenous Communities Fund. Since the fund was launched in 2020, we’ve granted about $5 million to local groups to address many needs in King County’s Indigenous Communities. Hourglass sat down with Marlo Klein, United Way Senior Community Impact Manager of Housing Stability, and Liahann Bannerman, United Way Senior Director of Equitab...

Good news happens. This episode features a conversation with Dr. Catherine Cushinberry, United Way’s interim CEO. Dr. Cushinberry became interim CEO when President and CEO Gordon McHenry Jr. stepped down in June. Hourglass sat down with Dr. Cushinberry for this episode to discuss topics that include her background and work, her interim role at United Way, and the relationship between nonprofits an...

Good news happens. We sat down with three United Way of King County housing specialists to discuss the current need for rental assistance and eviction prevention in our county, our efforts (including renewed funding) to help address those needs, and how people might receive financial and legal assistance to stay in their homes. We will also discuss an upcoming United Way Happy Hour and Hellos even...

This week’s episode features a candid and poignant discussion about youth gun violence in our area.  We sat down with two young men from the United Way-supported 4-C Coalition and Seattle Cares mentoring movement, as well as the director of Seattle Cares, to discuss an issue affecting far too many of our young people and their families. We’ll also discuss our Free Summer Meals program for school-a...

This week's episode discusses federal legislation that will cut SNAP benefits to recipients across Washington state and nationwide.  We sat down with Sara Seelmeyer, United Way’s Director for Ending Hunger, and Connor Walsh, United Way Associate Director for Public and Private Partnerships. Both recently attended a United Way Worldwide Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C., to speak with members o...

Good news happens. This week’s episode features a conversation with Jayanna Volle of CHOOSE 180, a United Way-supported, Burien-based organization that has impacted the local juvenile justice system by transforming how our region responds to young people.  For more than a dozen years, CHOOSE 180 has worked with the courts, schools, and communities to empower youth in King County with choices that...

Good news happens. This week’s episode features a conversation with Kent resident Yusuf Bashir, who is making an impact in his community while working two jobs. One, as the founder of the United Way-supported nonprofit Falis Community Services, and the other as a bus driver for King County Metro. We’ll also discuss our Free Summer Meals program for school-age youth and a local volunteer opportunit...

Good news happens. This week’s episode features a conversation about addressing youth homelessness.  We chat with Tricia Raikes, co-founder of the Seattle-based Raikes Foundation, which not only responds to youth and young adult homelessness but also works to prevent it from happening in the first place.  Tricia Raikes and United Way of King County partnership manager Danie Radic will discuss how...